Chewy, Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Origin: Whitman, Massachusetts (USA) 

The story of chocolate chip cookies begins with a woman named Ruth Wakefield, who, along with her husband Kenneth, owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, during the 1930s. Ruth was not only an innkeeper but also an accomplished baker, known for her delicious desserts.

When Ruth was preparing a batch of her popular Butter Drop Do cookies for her guests. The recipe called for baker's chocolate, which Ruth found herself out of that day. In a bold move, she decided to substitute broken pieces of semi-sweet Nestlé chocolate into the cookie dough, hoping that they would melt and create a uniform chocolate flavor.

However, as the cookies baked, Ruth discovered something unexpected: the chocolate pieces did not completely melt into the dough. Instead, they retained their shape, adding delightful pockets of gooey chocolate to the cookies. The result was a brand-new creation that combined the comforting goodness of cookies with the irresistible allure of chocolate.

Ruth's accidental innovation didn't go unnoticed. As word spread about her delectable cookies, Nestlé approached her with a proposal. They offered to print her recipe on the back of their chocolate bar packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of Nestlé chocolate. Ruth agreed, and the recipe for "Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies" became widely available.

Thanks to the exposure through Nestlé's packaging, chocolate chip cookies gained popularity across the United States. The simplicity of the recipe, along with the perfect combination of chewy cookie dough and melty chocolate chips, struck a chord with people of all ages.

Over the years, Ruth's recipe underwent minor modifications and adaptations, but the core essence remained the same. The term "chocolate chip cookies" became the standard, and it solidified its status as a classic American treat. Today, chocolate chip cookies are enjoyed in countless variations, from classic recipes to inventive twists that incorporate nuts, oats, or even exotic flavors.